Troubled Seattle Affordable Housing Plan May Get Rewrite

"The legislation — passed in 2001 for commercial buildings and 2006 for residential buildings — requires developers who want to build taller buildings to pay into an affordable-housing fund. The developers paid in, but officials now say there were too many restrictions on how to spend the money."

"First, the money must be used for new construction downtown — where space is limited and land prices are high. And the funding formula is so complex it includes numbers taken out to eight decimal points."

"This month, the City Council voted to expand that policy beyond downtown. As council members, developers and housing advocates hashed out the details of the expansion, some questioned whether the existing program is even working."

"The money from developers was expected to create 900 new homes for people of low and moderate incomes by 2011. But on the eve of 2009, only about 300 have been built."

"The City Council will consider loosening the restrictions early next year, said Councilmember Sally Clark, who chairs the Planning, Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee."